


Letting Off Steam

by Lady_Robin



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Cussing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-12 01:11:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18000950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Robin/pseuds/Lady_Robin
Summary: His need for refuge was calling him. He could hear it over the roars of the Prydwens engines and the chatter of his brothers and sisters. It was soft at first, something he could ignore with without much effort, but the call grew restless of not being heard. Now every day he fights with himself. The leader of an army against the cries of his own personal struggle for combat.





	Letting Off Steam

“What do you mean ’I lost it’?" 

Maxson could feel his blood pressure rising as he looked down at a scared Knight. It was supposed to be a simple retrieval mission for specific technical documents. It should have taken 3 days, tops. But when the Knight and his crew came back empty-handed after 5 days, Maxson could only see red. 

The Knight was obviously worried about coming back without the papers, knowing it would upset the Elder, but was not prepared for Maxson to be so confrontational.

"I’m sorry, Elder. But we were ambushed-" 

"I can’t believe what I’m hearing! Ambushed? That’s your excuse!" 

Maxson stepped forward into the Knights personal space, causing him to step back towards a wall that was now closing in as he stammered with his words. 

"You asked what happened-" 

"And your answer is that you were overpowered by some low life people with a shit gun that probably shoots pellets!" 

The Knight finally made contact with the wall and held his hands up, hoping to stop Maxson from colliding with him. 

"Elder, we were outnumbered!" 

Maxson couldn’t stand the thought of his own Knight giving such a weak excuse. They were capable soldiers who should have never been caught in the situation, to begin with. Maxson’s fist punched the wall beside the knights head, leaving an indent and causing a wicked metal clang that echoed through the wing. 

"I don’t care if you were outnumbered 5000 to 1! You had a job, and you-" 

"Elder Maxson, what is the meaning of this?!" 

Captain Kells booming voice silenced the Elder, and the Knight was grateful for the interruption. Only a short side glace was received by Kells from Maxson who quickly pushed himself away from the petrified Knight and walked away, annoyed at himself that he got caught in a one-sided clash. The Knight only moved away from the wall and out of the tension-filled room once Kells silently order him to leave with a simple head nod. 

Kells watched as his Elder stewed at the window, looking at nothing in particular but avoiding what had just happened. After watching Maxson from afar the past few weeks, he knew exactly what was happening. The stress of the job was finally starting to get to the soldier turned leader. 

Maxson had grown frustrated after years of being kept safe from the fight. While most people would be thankful for the title and its advantages, this young man felt like the final bell started ringing only one punch in. His personal sanctuary was on the ground, boots getting dirty and stepping over dead bodies. It was a hostile environment that would make most men run for shelter, but Maxson thrived under the chaos. He is a fighter, a warrior of the battlefield. That was what the Brotherhood trained him to be. 

His need for refuge was calling him. He could hear it over the roars of the Prydwens engines and the chatter of his brothers and sisters. It was soft at first, something he could ignore with without much effort, but the call grew restless of not being heard. Now every day he fights with himself. The leader of an army against the cries of his own personal struggle for combat. 

"What is going on, Elder." 

The Captain was worried about his well being, but Maxson didn’t take his eyes away from the view in front of him. He was not in the mood at that moment for idle chit chat. 

"Nothing at all, Captain." 

Kells moved to stand beside Maxson, taking a look out the same window. 

"You sure?" 

The questioning tone that Kells spoke with made Maxson turn his head to face his Captain.

"Certainly. Why do you ask?" 

"You seem frustrated." 

Maxson tried to hide an eye roll as he returned to looking outside. 

"Well, there’s a lot going on here. And we are behind schedule after this mess." 

He gestured behind him, looking back at where the Knight was once standing in fear. 

"Not that kind of frustrated,” Kells clarified. “Spiritually frustrated." 

Spiritual frustration? Maxson never thought of himself or anyone being in that state and didn’t know what to think about it. 

"What are you getting at?" 

Kells could only smile. 

"I was young once. A soldier with all the energy to fight battle after battle and still be hungry for more. Took years to get it out. I was probably in my late 30s when I started to calm down." 

"And?" 

Maxson was aware of Kells military achievements, and couldn’t fathom what he was getting it. 

"You became Elder when you were 16. When the last time you were on the ground? Or in an actual fight?" 

Not wanting to think about the factual answer, Maxson decided to answer honestly.

"Too fucking long." 

Kells continued to keep his composure even with the need to react to Maxson’s honesty. 

"There’s a place down near Diamond City, called the Combat Zone, I believe. I hear raiders go there to watch fights and let off some steam. They have fights every night. Winner takes all kind of affair. I would have loved to visit a place like that in my youth." 

Maxson’s focus shifted from the window to the thoughts about the Combat Zone. The idea of a place where anyone could just go fight and not be berated for it sounded liberating. 

"Sounds like a very…tempting establishment." 

He tried to kill any eagerness in his voice was hard, failing to fully hide his desires to learn more about this bloody heaven on earth. Kells finally turned to face Maxson. 

"So. why don’t you go blow off some steam?" 

Visions of raider faces bleeding and bruised from the punches Maxson would gladly distribute filled the Elder’s mind. And the fact that they would all be asking for it made the visions all the sweeter. But reality quickly set in, and he knew it would only be a dream. 

"I can’t just go down there. I’m the Elder. It wouldn’t look good if I just walked in there and started throwing punches." 

He turned around, leaning against the hand bars with his arms crossed. He felt needlessly defeated. Kells could see the irritation on Maxson’s face. Thankfully, Kells was there to look after him. 

"Maybe you don’t have to go down there and fight.” 

"Excuse me?" 

It wasn’t often that the look of confusion graced Maxson’s face, and Kells could only laugh to himself at the state of his young Elder. 

"You’re a smart man, Arthur. You can’t enter the arena, but someone else could. No questions asked." 

Confusion melted away and a light that Maxson had once thought was lost forever was starting to flicker. But some questions still remained to be answered. 

"But what about everyone here? What would they think if they saw me leave the Prydwen to go down there?" 

Kells stood in front of the Elder, who was so eager for any direction his Captain was willing to give. 

"You are the Elder, I’m sure you can figure out something to say so you will be left alone."

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to my wonderful beta for helping me figure out how to make this crazy idea come to life!  
> Follow me on Tumblr for more Arthur Maxson Randomness @askelderarthurmaxson


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